Welcome to the Tilford Readings for Empowerment and Diversity (READ) Page. This project started in 2019 as an effort to build a campus reader around resources that highlights and discuss different elements of diversity.
2023-2024 READ
The Tilford group selected the graphic memoir Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir as the 2023-2024 READ title. ( book review )
Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to sign up and participate as we read and discuss this book in the Fall and Spring semesters. See the Canvas page for supplemental materials (Coming soon).
PSU students and employees please use this form to sign-up. Professors looking to sign up their class please use this form as well. There are available copies for participants, courtesy of the Tilford group. Additional copies can be checked out from Leonard H. Axe Library.
2022 - 2023 READ Title
Dates and Times for READ sessions:
Week 1 February 21 at 6 pm
Week 2 February 28 at 6 pm
Week 3 March 7 at 6 pm
Week 4 March 21 at 6 pm
Locations: Sessions held in Axe Library Room 029
Reading Guide See Canvas for resources
Title: Demystifying Disability
Author: Emily Ladau
PSU Students and PSU employess use the form to sign-up for the upcoming READ sessions. Professors looking to sign up a class, please leave notes in the form.
2021 - 2022 READ
PSU students and employees please use this form to sign-up. Professors looking to sign up their class please use this form as well.
S'22 Dates and Times for Read Aloud and Discussions. The READ sessions are expected to be in person, with opportunity for digital participation (Links and more info in Canvas).
Week 1 Dates (Habits 1, 2, 13, 18) Feb 15th
Week 2 Dates (Habits 3, 7, 8, 17) Feb 22nd
Week 3 Dates (Habits 11, 9, 6, 10) Mar 1st
Week 4 Dates (Habits 4, 12, 21, 20) Mar 22nd
Week 5 Dates (Habits 5, 16, 23, 19) Mar 29nd
Sessions at 2 pm in Axe Basement Space 029
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The Tilford group selected What If I Say The Wrong Thing: 25 Habits For Culturally Effective People as the 2021-2022 READ Title. The Fall 2021 and SPring 2022 sessions will be book group discussions on small sections from the book themed around specific culturally effective habits.
Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to check out a copy (from Axe Library) or sign up for a gift copy. See the Tilford Canvas page for supplemental materials that go with the title.
2020 - 2021 READ
Updates: - Plans Underway for Spring '21 sessions.
Sign up - Event Past
Dates and Times for Read Aloud and Discussions:
Spring Times -
Week 1 (Chapters 1 & 2) March 2nd 3 pm OR March 4th 7 pm
Week 2 (Chapters 3 & 4) March 9th 3 pm OR March 11th 7 pm
Week 3( Chapter 5 ) March 16th 3 pm OR March 18th 7 pm
Week 4 (Chapter 6) March 23rd 3 pm OR March 25th 7 pm
Week 5 (Chapter 7) March 30th 3 pm OR April 1 7 pm
Week 6 (Chapters 8,9,10) April 6th 3 pm OR April 8th 7 pm
See Canvas for Zoom Links
READ guide
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The Tilford group selected The Best We Could Do as the 2020-2021 READ title. In the Fall semester, READ-Aloud and Book Discussion sessions were held.
Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to check out a copy (from Axe Library) or sign up for a gift copy. See the Tilford Canvas page for supplemental materials that go with the title.
Tilford will gift a select number of titles to students interested in participating in the discussions.
SIGN UP Form Professors! You are encouraged to sign up, or nominate a student(s) in your class.
Check Out what participants had to say about the Fall Read-Aloud sessions.
READ Title Info: The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir - Abramsbooks
Title covers themes:
- Family
- Intergenerational conflict
- Displacement
- Immigration
- Sense of Home
- Vietnam War
- Refugee experience
2019 - 2020 READ
During the Spring of 2019 Tilford members met to select the first READ book.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates was the 2019-2020 title.
Pilot Project
During the Summer of 2019 a number of students were gifted copies of the book during the end of the year Michael J. Tilford Banquet. Many of these students were able to travel and hear the author present.
Students were encouraged to read the title during the summer and fall semester. During the Fall a small group of students got together to discuss the book, its meaning to them, and more.
Left to right: back row: Front row left to right
Join the PSU community discussing this and other titles on Canvas. Use the following link to enroll in the Canvas Page.
Possible 2020-2021 titles
- The Best We Could Do
- Thi Bui
- When they call you a terrorist : a Black Lives Matter memoir
- Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
- What if I say the wrong thing? : 25 habits for culturally effective people
- Verna A. Myers